'Tactical flexibility gives us options'

Ahead of today's trip to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, we sat down with the first-team coach at Melwood as he gave a glowing appraisal off his fellow Scouser, Gerrard, reflected on the Reds' recent form and talked tactics.

Below is a full transcript of the interview.

Mike, it's been a big week at the club with the news of Steven Gerrard's departure at the end of the season. Can you put into words just what kind of servant he's been for this club?

Stevie is one of the all-time greats. Obviously we are disappointed that he has decided to leave, but time moves on and hopefully we can cope without him.

You work with him on a daily basis at Melwood. What sets him out compared to other players?

He's a role model. He's an absolute joy to work with. Stevie comes in every day and is an example to all of the other players. There's not a lot you can say about him that hasn't already been said. He's an absolute gentleman as well as a fantastic footballer and I just wish him all the best.

Quite fittingly, he was the hero at AFC Wimbledon on Monday night - how important was it for the team to come through that tough test?

It was a tricky game. When you go away from home in those games, it's just important you get the result. Luckily for us, Steven came up trumps on the night and scored a couple of goals. It was important we got through.

Watch the video here »

We've won four and drawn two of our last six matches. Do the players and the staff pay much attention to things like unbeaten runs and, if so, how can we benefit from that?

We do and we don't. I'm sure the players are aware of it and we haven't lost in recent times despite the fact that people suggest we have. I wouldn't say we are in great form, but we are managing to win games home and away - so it's important we keep it going.

Sunderland today, just a month since the teams last met at Anfield and frustrated Liverpool with a goalless draw. What can you do differently this time around to break their defence down?

Well, with them being at home, the onus is on them to come out and attack us a bit more, which should leave us with a bit more space. Sunderland are the draw specialists, if you look at the figures for the amount of games they have drawn [this season]. So it's going to be difficult, but hopefully we'll have a little bit more space and, with a little more quality from ourselves, hopefully we can get the three points.

Can it help us that the onus is on them to attack, being at home?

There's no easy games but if you come away from home and get the three points you have done a good job. But when we do go away from home, the onus is on them to attack a bit more, the home fans get a little bit restless if the team sits back and it sometimes can afford you more space in the forward areas.

What benefits do you feel the recent system playing three defenders at the back has provided?

It's not a system we are unfamiliar with as we played with three at the back last season on numerous occasions, so the players are familiar with it. They seem to enjoy it and it gives us a bit of security at the back and also attacking options a bit further up the pitch.

Is this system something we can expect to continue in the forthcoming games?

Well, we'll see. We've got tactical flexibility within the squad so we can chop and change depending on the opposition.